“New every morning is the love. . .”
I’m still working my way through the 1914 American Unitarian Association New Hymn and Tune Book, and bring you three hymn texts today.
There are a few things I try to keep in mind as I go through this material. Firstly, though this collection was published in 1914, many of the texts are from far earlier than that. As in our present-day hymnal, there was probably consideration taken to well-loved traditional hymns, balanced with some new things. Secondly, the language is unabashedly theistic and in many cases patriarchal.
What I take away from these texts into my here-and-now life experience is the sense of longing expressed in so many different ways — longing for the touch of the Holy, longing to be free from the flaws inherent in all of us, longing to see a better, brighter world. I think we have many of the same longings now, but we don’t express them nearly so eloquently.
Hymns from The New Hymn and Tune Book
published by the American Unitarian Association, 1914
100. Where is thy God? set to the tune Domenica S.M.
Thomas Toke Lynch, 1855Where is thy God, my soul?
Is he within thy heart;
Or ruler of a distant realm
In which thou hast no part?
Where is thy God, my soul?
Only in stars and sun;
Or have the holy words of truth
His light in every one?Where is thy God, my soul?
Confined to scripture’s page;
Or does his Spirit check and guide
The spirit of each age?O Ruler of the sky,
Rule thou within my heart:
0 great Adomer of the world,
Thy light of life impart.Giver of holy words,
Bestow thy holy power,
And aid me, whether work or thought
Engage the varying hour.In thee have I my help,
As all my fathers had;
I’ll trust thee when I’m sorrowful,
And serve thee when I’m glad.33. The salutation of peace, set to the tune St. Sylvester
adapted from Charles WesleyPeace be to this congregation!
Peace to every heart therein!
Peace, the earnest of salvation;
Peace, the fruit of conquered sin;
Peace, that speaks the heavenly Giver;
Peace, to worldly minds unknown;
Peace, that floweth, as a river,
From the eternal Source alone.O thou God of Peace, be near us,
Fix within our hearts thy home;
With thy bright appearing cheer us,
In thy blessed freedom come.
Come with all thy revelations,
Truth which we so long have sought;
Come with thy deep consolations,
Peace of God which passeth thought!135. New every morning, set to the tune Humility L.M.
John Keble, 1822New every morning is the love
Our wakening and uprising prove;
Through sleep and darkness safely brought,
Restored to life and power and thought.New mercies, each returning day,
Hover around us while we pray;
New perils past, new sins forgiven,
New thoughts of God, new hopes of heaven.If on our daily course our mind
Be set to hallow all we find,
New treasures still, of countless price,
God will provide for sacrifice.Old friends, old scenes, will lovelier be,
As more of heaven in each we see:
Some softening gleam of love and prayer
Shall dawn on every cross and care.The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all we ought to ask, —
Room to deny ourselves, a road
To bring us daily nearer God.
Source: Hymn texts from The New Hymn and Tune Book, published by the American Unitarian Association in 1914
Tags: History, hope, longing, love, spirit, tradition
